Horrid Lorries and Troublesome Trucks
by bbll22
Summary: Lorries and trucks can be a nuisance to all on the Island of Sodor and these tales are bound to show their devious ways to engines, vehicles and the people on Sodor. Have a great read and please review!
1. Grouch

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Grouch**

On the Island of Sodor there are always troublesome trucks and silly freight vans that cause no end of disruption and cause confusion and delay, but since the demise of the Spiteful Breakvan and S.C. Ruffey a few years back, no truck has dared be as troublesome as the engines know how to get the better of them. However, a new truck was slowly gaining a reputation for being the meanest on Sodor, his name was Grouch. He only smiled when he caused offense to engines and he loved insulting any train he could and due to the reputation he was gaining, the other trucks in the yards sang a song of warning to all the engines.  
"He may be tough, you will say ouch. No-one can stop you from that devious Grouch!" they sang this again and again and laughed after they finished. The engines in the yard at that moment whistled loudly to keep them quiet.  
"Stop it!" cried Emily  
"Be quiet!" demanded Duck, but the trucks started singing once again while Grouch looked on.  
"He may be tough, you will say ouch. No-one can stop you from that devious Grouch!"  
"Stop it this instant!" shouted Emily.  
"Why don't you shut up you little Scot?" gruffed Grouch angrily. Emily felt very insulted and she left off steam in anger and directed it straight at Grouch. Emily then steamed off as she didn't want to stay at the yards being insulted. Duck had to stay and mind the trucks, but then all of a sudden he heard Mavis' horn. She was towing BoCo to the yards. When she stopped, she told Duck that since BoCo had broken down, he had been told to come and mind the yards. Duck accepted and once BoCo was in place, Duck and Mavis left. The trucks fell silent as BoCo looked on at them with a stern face, but then Grouch decided to have a say.  
"Oh would you look at that..." he said in a harsh voice "BoCo is a NoGo!" The trucks immediately laughed at the joke and grouched roared with laughter aswell. Poor BoCo couldn't move and couldn't blast his horn, he could only shout, but the incessant laughter of the trucks drowned out his voice. It stayed like this for the rest of the day.

That night at Tidmouth Sheds, engines gathered to talk about the Grouch situation. They had already spoken to the Fat Controller about the issue, but he told them to ignore it, the engines couldn't.  
"He is a disgrace to Sodor!" said Gordon  
"He knows no good..." added Percy. Soon enough, more engines arrived and even some Diesels did too.  
"Diesel? Why are you here?" asked Thomas  
"I am not fond of Grouch either...he called me a Disease..." he then replied. James tried to not laugh at this, he didn't, but his face went into an odd expression.  
"It's a shame Edward isn't here anymore..." said Henry "Grouch wouldn't have stood a chance against him!" Everyone agreed. The gathering then continued and most engines spoke of their disgust of Grouch.  
"We should chuck him in the sea!" declared Salty.  
"Send him to the Smelters..." suggested Fergus.  
"Get Cranky to drop something on him!" added Daisy.  
"Just get rid of him!" shouted Annie and Clarabel. "He said we should be scrapped! How dare he!"  
"I agree with all of you..." said Toad in his low voice "But we have to do it discretely or the Fat Controller will be mad at us. He'll punish us."  
"Hmmm..." deliberated Gordon. "If we have the chance, anyone of us, we will try and rid Sodor of him, but as Toad said, do it discretely..." The engines all agreed and made their way home and went to sleep.

Morning came and the attempts to get Grouch off Sodor were now in force. At Brendam Docks, Stanley was pushing trucks along for Cranky to load, one of these trucks was Grouch. Stanley hoped Cranky would 'accidentally' drop goods onto Grouch and destroy him. Cranky did drop goods, but not onto Grouch, they landed onto some other trucks.  
"Miss did ya'?" remarked Grouch.  
"No" replied Stanley "Just a little accident..." but he wished they hadn't missed. Later on that day at the Quarry, Bill and Ben were taking trucks to be filled. Grouch had now been moved here by BoCo after he'd been fixed and placed him directly at a crossing at the Quarry where Derek would soon be on his way. Derek then came into view, but just short of the crossing his engine stopped.  
"Not again!" cried Derek. Grouch laughed loudly.  
"You can't get rid of me!" he said. Bill and Ben whistled loudly in anger and Grouch just laughed even more. He was now really getting on everyone's nerves.

The day carried on and Grouch was moved around most of the Fat Controller's Railway where various attempts to get rid of him were tried. First of all, Harvey lifted him over and placed him on his back, but Grouch insulted everyone even more, and then the Fat Controller came and saw what was happening.  
"What's going on here, Harvey?" he asked  
"Er...um...I lifted him up by error, Sir! Sorry..." Harvey replied. The Fat Controller accepted and made his way. As soon as he was out of view, Grouch started the insults yet again.  
"Ugly...Ugly...Ugly...Ugly...that's what you are Harvey! UGLY!" he shrieked. Harvey then gave up and the next attempt came at the turntables. Toby placed Grouch in the centre of the turntable and as it spun he hoped as he had no brakes, he would be flung off and destroyed, but it didn't happen. Grouch just enjoyed the spin on the turntable.  
"It's like a funfair ride!" he said and then laughed. Toby couldn't believe it. Numerous attempts then carried on and no-one succeeded. James, Dennis, Molly, Murdoch, Neville, Oliver and Thomas all tried after this, but got nowhere. Grouch just smiled each time as they failed.  
"Am I really this liked?" Grouch asked jokingly. "None of you can seem to leave me alone!" Once again, Grouch just laughed. The engines were now ready to give up.

The next morning the engines woke up to another day of attempts to try and get rid of Grouch, but no-one could be bothered after the previous day's failures. Meanwhile, at Brendam Docks, Grouch was in the sidings with the sea both in front and behind him.  
"Ahhh! Beautiful day for insulting engines!" he said. The other trucks agreed and once again sang.  
"He may be tough, you will say ouch. No-one can stop you from that devious Grouch!" Everyone at the Docks had now had enough.  
"BE QUIET!" demanded Gordon, but Grouch responded with an insult.  
"Oh look, it's the bog-eyed Blue Monster!" He chuckled with delight, but this would soon be cut short as Clark and Arthur were struggling with some silly trucks. They forced themselves greatly and put pressure on the couplings. Arthur managed just but Clark's trucks broke the coupling and they were off. Grouch didn't know that the trucks had been diverted into the siding where he was. He noticed, but it was too late.  
"Oh bother…" called Grouch just before the trucks slammed into him. They all groaned with pain but the force of the impact carried them on and further down the siding they went and then they broke through the buffers and fell. Unfortunately, Bulstrode was waiting below the siding when they landed in his hull. They went smash and crash, but luckily for Bulstrode, his hull had been reinforced, so he didn't sink.  
"Third time lucky, I suppose!" he mumbled to himself. Eventually, the scene of the accident was cleared and the majority of the trucks were fine, but some weren't. As workmen unearthed the trucks, they found that Grouch was destroyed. Falling into Bulstrode's hull had done significant damage anyway, but more trucks on top of him had destroyed him entirely.

The news soon spread and all engines and diesels celebrated with delight. The trucks now knew what would happen if they misbehaved like Grouch had, but the trucks didn't take long until a new leader of them was in charge.  
"You will cower in fear. Here is our new boss. You best not get her angry as her name is Joss!" sang the trucks and they cackled with laughter. Everyone was now wary of Joss, but would she ever be as mean as Grouch?


	2. Larry Rules the Road

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Larry Rules the Road**

Emily is a green engine who does care for her friends on the Island of Sodor, but she has a tendency to boss them about at the same time. She likes things to be done her way and if others don't follow her way, Emily gets even bossier. Henry and James were on the receiving end of this bossiness one morning at the shunting yards.  
"Don't biff trucks like that!" called Emily to Henry. "They're never going to be on your side like that, are they?"  
"Really?" Henry said back. "They've never complained before."  
"They will…" retorted Emily as she then noticed James wasn't doing his best with the trucks either. "James, have some respect for the trucks. They're not all like Grouch. These trucks respect me, they won't respect you…"  
"Pah!" wheeshed James as he came to a stop. "They're only trucks Emily. They shouldn't get respect from us. We push them, they don't push us."  
"But any truck can become troublesome…" Emily then pointed out as she biffed her trucks calmly and collectively. She smiled brightly as she biffed them knowing this was how it should be done. Henry and James weren't convinced though and were glad when the yard manager appeared. He had a message for the engines.  
"I have just received a telephone call from Mr Rock at the quarry. He needs an engine to help out Molly and the Larry with the rock that needs to be delivered. With the usual quarry engines at their exhibition on the mainland, Mr Rock needs all the help he can get." he announced to them all. The engines looked puzzled at part of the message though.  
"Who's Larry?" scowled James.  
"I don't know…" replied the yard manager. "…but an engine is needed. Someone has to go now and sort out the truck loads of rock."  
"Trucks?" beamed Emily. "Oh, I'll go then. The trucks need someone they can trust…" she then added as James and Henry tried to hide their smiles. Once Emily was out of view, the pair of them just looked at each other.  
"How long before something goes wrong, do you reckon?" Henry asked.  
"An hour….two at most…" smiled James as the pair of them returned to their work.

Emily was pleased with going to work at the quarry. She got along with Molly very well and was sure that her method of treating trucks would prevent any nasty incidents. As she steamed into view, she saw Molly looking very exhausted.  
"What's wrong?" asked Emily kindly.  
"It's very tiring…" Molly wheezed weakly as she regained some energy.  
"What? Working with the trucks?" Emily asked with a slight smile knowing she wouldn't get this tired with her method.  
"No…" said Molly. "Working with Larry is very tiring…" she added as Emily then caught sight of Larry in the distance. He was a dark green quarry lorry with hazard warning strips emblazoned all over his body. He sped all around the quarry and was impatient with those loading him up.  
"I'll be put out of service before you load me up at this rate…" he said meanly to one of the cranes. "Hurry up!" he added impatiently. Emily was surprised but was glad to see the trucks all behaving.  
"I wouldn't worry about Larry for much longer…" Emily then said Molly. "I'll sort him out." she added as she puffed proudly towards Larry and her set of trucks. "Hello…" Emily then beamed. "You must be Larry…"  
"Yeah, what of it?" Larry then retorted. "Just take your trucks and don't talk to me…" he then commanded. Emily seethed with anger. She didn't like Larry talking to her in this way at all and wheeshed angrily.  
"Don't break your pistons…" Larry then laughed as he rushed off with a load full of rock. He continued to laugh loudly as he disappeared into the distance. Molly felt sorry for Emily but knew it was only something they had to get used to.  
"He's been like this for the last couple of days…" Molly then explained. "Mr Rock said he knew the risks of bringing him in, but with the others all away at that Mainland exhibition, he's had to go with whoever he could find…"  
"I'll just have to ignore him then…" Emily then said as she coupled up to her trucks. They were behaving nicely and Emily was glad of that. She pulled away slowly ensuring the trucks were alright and they were. Molly had never seen anyone pull trucks of rock like this before and just hoped the work would be done soon. She knew though that while Larry was here that probably wouldn't happen.

Molly's suspicions were right as Larry veered dangerously around the rounds with rocks in his hold. He swerved here and there as people and cars had to look out for falling rocks possibly hurting them.  
"I rule the roads!" Larry boasted loudly and grandly as he continued to speed along the roads. When he came to crossing or red traffic lights, he'd brake at the very last moment just as a bit of fun. He enjoyed every moment of his rides along the Sodor roads but no-one else was. Mr Rock certainly wasn't as he got phone call after phone call complaining about his dangerous ways.  
"I'll have a word when he returns…" Mr Rock sighed to another complainer. "It's all I can do I'm afraid." he added as he put the phone down. He just wished his normal engines were here. He even wished Diesel was here but he was at the exhibition too. "I just hope Larry behaves…" he then said quietly to himself as he then went back to his important work.

Emily meanwhile was chugging along at pace making sure she was kind to her trucks so they didn't play a trick on her, but the truck were getting bored.  
"We want excitement!" one cried. "We're bored as anything going along at this slow a speed!"  
"I'm treating you with respect…" retorted Emily. "Would you rather me race along dangerously like Larry then?" she asked as she could see Larry going about his business recklessly in the distance. The trucks had noticed too and were somewhat jealous.  
"Of course we would!" they all grinned. "Speedy is fun and you're just boring. Emily's a bore, Emily's a bore!" they then sang. Emily wasn't pleased at all. She thought her method was what was best for the trucks and it was becoming very apparent that they didn't like it at all. Emily decided to pick up speed but it still wasn't enough. For now though she still wanted to do what was best for her.

"Clear the roads, important trucks coming through!" boomed Larry viciously to any traffic blocking his way as he careered around the winding roads. In the distance he could see Emily from the quarry going ever so slowly.  
"I'll be a hundred before she gets those rocks delivered. She might aswell not bother. I can do her job easy!" he moaned before he sped up even more. He swerved violently around the roads as he veered from one side to the other with rocks spilling out everywhere. "Get out the way! I rule the road!" he then shouted as loudly as he could. He was driving so dangerously that Esther the baker's van had to swerve into a hedge to avoid a head-on collision with Larry.  
"What on earth was he playing at?" Esther wondered as she tried to get branches away from her face.  
"Well whatever it was it's not safe…" said her driver as he inspected the bread. He looked over his shoulder just to check on Larry in the distance and could see he was speeding up even more. "He's going to cause an accident…" he said. He was right…

Larry wasn't paying particular attention to where he was going as all he could think about was how he ruled the roads of Sodor. He was heading towards a level crossing and the gates for him were closed. An engine was soon to be coming through but Larry hadn't noticed. As he was approaching the crossing, Emily was just about to pass through. She'd sped up quite a bit now and the trucks were much quieter now.  
"I do know how to keep trucks happy…" she boasted to herself. "I don't know what James and Henry were on about…" she added as suddenly she heard a deep booming horn. Larry had only just realised what was happening at the very last moment and braked hard but his wheels skidded and he ploughed through the crossing gates and smashed into Emily's tender and a couple of the trucks. Emily came to an immediate halt as steam vented everywhere. Larry had come to a complete halt as rocks were strewn all over the place as the remnants of the hit trucks were squashed under Larry's heavy body. Larry though pretended as if nothing had happened even though his face showed otherwise.  
"You got in my way!" he shouted to Emily. "You know I rule the roads!"  
"Of course you do…" said Emily sarcastically as she waited impatiently for someone to clear up the mess. When they did arrive, Mr Rock turned up as well as he looked very unimpressed.  
"Larry, what were you playing at?" he asked in a clearly disappointed tone.  
"This silly train got in my way. It was my right of way! I rule the roads!" he replied loudly and angrily. Mr Rock really didn't believe him and once the mess was tidied up, Larry was driven back to the quarry slowly, sensibly and carefully by Mr Rock.  
"See, you can go along the roads without causing a problem…" Mr Rock said to make a point but Larry didn't agree. He yawned throughout.  
"Where'd you learn to drive? The school of slow?" Larry asked indignantly but he never got a reply as Mr Rock telephoned his boss on the Mainland once he'd got into his office. Larry was to be returned with immediate effect.  
"I think you'll find I rule here…" said Mr Rock with a grin on his face.  
"But, but, I rule the roads!" Larry said crossly. "You can't do this! I'm needed here!"  
"Not anymore…" smiled Mr Rock. "My engines return tomorrow morning. So, it's goodbye Larry!" he added as he went back into his office. Larry was cross and upset at the same time and when he was eventually driven away to the docks to be transported home, he didn't say a word. He just looked at the sights of Sodor one last time and then thought of how he'd rule the roads back home on the Mainland.

As for Emily, once her tender was fixed she was sent back to the shunting yards by Mr Rock after he was unimpressed with her work with the trucks. The Fat Controller agreed her methods weren't the best and until she sorted them out, she wouldn't be pulling her coaches for a little while.  
"We said your way was wrong…" gloated James as he passed her by with his trucks being biffed about violently. Emily just kept quiet and pulled her trucks quietly and safely taking the trucks feelings into consideration. At this rate, she won't be back with her coaches for some time…


End file.
